Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1887-12-07
A Girls Gratitude.

minnie, L have come to take you
home with me-"
mo, Laura, / have no claim upon
you. Surely In this great world there
is something for me to do-to teach OF
sew.''
"But, Minnie, dear, we have been
ike sisters ever since our school days;
you are too young to live alone. Come
and brighten my fathers life and
mine" And after much pleading
Minnie consented to go,
Poor little girl She had buried her
ii,t:sss8er that Gay. The iather wifa had
Issished everything that wealth could
bny on his lovely daughter, had died
and left her a peuniless orphan, alone
to fight the battle of life.
Laura Goodwin, who had been her
chosen friend at school, had come to
comfort Minnie in her grief and
brought her fathers cordial Invitation
to make his house her permanent
abode. He had been widowed himself
and could sympathiZe with the young
girls sorTow for loss, and readily Sec
onded his daughters generous impulse.
And soon after Minnie's advent into
the family there came another change.
Laura, the stately beauty, found that
her heart had wandered from the home
boundary to rest upon another love
offered and accepted. Her lover was
a gentleman in every way calculated
to make her happy-a true, good man,
and Mr. Goodwin gave a willing con-
sent To her marriage.
1t wanted but month of Laura S
wedding day. when one afternoon as
the girls were sitting in the parlor
waiting the summons to dinner a
heavy fall overhead startled both MI.
Goodwin's library, which was directly
above them, was evidently the room
whence the noise came; and, after a
moment of silent CONSERVATION, the
two ran swiftly upstairs. The friend
and father lay upon the floor, where he
had fallen after leaving his chair,
struck down with paralysis, insensible.
The appointed weddIng-day was
over, when one morning Laura beck
oned Minnie from the invalid's room
and took her into her own chamber.
Her face was pale, but resolute, her
eyes full of suppressed pain as she
said, "Minnie, will you do painful
task for me?"
"You know that l will do ANYTHING
for you, Laura"
Then you will see Herbert for me
and tell HIM this: Doctor Holmes SAID
to-day that my father would never re.
gain the use of his lower limbs. His
mind is now clear, and he can use hls
arms and hands; but from the lower
limbs the power to move is gone fol-
life. lie will be crippled, almost help
less; and /. his child, can never leave
/ himl"
Il will not tell Herbert, Laura, mol
must you break your engagement. You
will not hesitate to leave your father
in my care. Ny hands will minister
10 him as tenderly as yours; my fee
! shall fill the place of his; my"--
"Stopl this must not be" said Mr
Goodwin. s'I cannot consent to bind
. your youth to my inhrmity, your ac-
/ tivIty to my helplessness.
, You would keep Laura?"
/ ''She is my child; her own love keep
herr
"Her lovel'' The child's pleadIn!
face was gone, and she stood erect be
fore them a woman, speaking her heart
Her love calls her to Herbert as trul,
as mine-Oh, spare me-" she cried
covering her hot bushes with her hands
do not force me to tear away frou
my heart its vellp Do you not know.
and she crept close to the bedside t,
whisper, "that as Laura loves Her
bert L love you? Do not turn me away
let me be your wife-happier, far hap
pier in ministerIng to you than l coul
be in any freer ,gayer life"